Laragh primary school reopening postponed

As we go to press the board of management of Laragh primary school informs us that the school will not re-open as scheduled on Tuesday next, August 30, but that it will reopen shortly thereafter. Over recent days the board of management has been considering its options with regard to the school reopening. It was hoped that the Laragh school development project would have been completed by Tuesday and that the pupils and their teachers would commence the new school year in modern, state-of-the-art classrooms. However, the contractor, Aidan Elliott Construction Ltd, ceased work on the site during the middle of last week amid claims that the firm has trading difficulties. Construction projects by the Cavan firm at Ballybay Community College and a primary school in the Castleblayney area are also understood to be affected. Efforts by this paper to contact Aidan Elliott have been unsuccessful and it is not clear what the status of his business is at this point in time. The office of the Companies Regulator say that there has been no communication to them with regard to Aidan Elliott Construction Ltd in relation to any difficulties they may have. With regard to Laragh school it is understood that the six additional classrooms and the refurbished old school are within a fortnight of completion - and the latest setback comes as a source of considerable disappointment to the parents and people of Laragh who have been campaigning for a new school for many years. The existing school was long considered unfit for purpose and the archaic, unsatisfactory conditions were highlighted at several public meetings. It is understood that the Laragh school board of management have been meeting with Mr Elliott and that he has informed them that he hopes to finish the contract. The board believe that the new extension to the school will be successfully completed in the near future in any case. It is a devolved school building project under which the board of management have been given the responsibility and the funding by the Department of Education to manage the school building project to completion. Chairperson of Laragh primary school board of management, Ms Bernie Power, acknowledged that the board are aware of public concerns and are engaging with all of the parties involved. "We are committed to providing accommodation and services for the pupils of the school," she explained. A separate P.E. hall is due to be built as another phase of the project. Mrs Power said that the BOM are liaising with the Department and are communicating with the parents as the situation unfolds. Prior to the announcement by Ms Bernie Power that the BOM had postponed the school re-opening date, Paddy Denning, a member of Laragh School Parents' Association, echoed the concern of parents about the situation. He said that the parents' association were informed by the board of management that they were waiting on Aidan Elliott to clarify his position. "Parents are concerned; they want to know what are the arrangements for next week, will the school be opening at a different venue; Stradone community centre has been suggested as an option," he stated. Another option was a postponement of a return to school by Laragh pupils for a week or two with Departmental consent, he suggested. However, parents would need to know within 24 to 48 hours as this had implications for their own work arrangements and for arranging child care. Laragh parents are at present organising a golf classic fundraiser for the school that is due to take place on September 2 at Cavan Golf Club. Over 60 teams are committed to taking part in the Classic and Paddy Denning hopes that current difficulties will not impact adversely on this fundraising venture. The people of Laragh have campaigned long and hard for their new school and now that they are within sight of their goal it would be a pity that anything should come along that might delay realisation of that dream.